Be a dear and forgive the unfolded shirts on the back of the rocker. It was late and I was tired. At least that’s the excuse I’m using right now.
…………………………

On a daily basis our children are exposed to, and influenced by, today’s pop culture. It stands to reason that when my kids mimic or recall things they have picked up from media outlets like movies, music, television, video games, internet, books, or magazines, I may find myself occasionally on the slightly confused side (especially the random references to Adventure Time).

As a teenager I never anticipated a time when I would stand on this side of the generation gap. At that time I was still rolling my eyes at my Dad as I explained (for the 5th, 6th or perhaps 80th time) that “going with” a boy did not mean we were actually traveling somewhere together, but rather, that we were together in the boyfriend/girlfriend sense.

These days my 11 year old will tell me someone is “dating” and I receive the same eye roll I performed for my Dad when I question the probability of two non-driving preteens dating.

That said, you can imagine my delight when Emelie and Meredith sat across from me in the living room last night and began clapping their hands to a very familiar hand-game and singing the all-too-familiar lyrics, “I went to a Chinese restaurant…”

Remember this one?

I went to a chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread.
He asked me what my name was
And this is what I said, said, said said:

My name is E.I., E.I. Nickin-eye, Nickin-eye
Curly whirly whiskers

My name is E.I., E.I. Nickin-eye, Nickin-eye
Curly whirly whiskers

FREEZE!

The “Freeze” portion is the test of how long you can hold your final position without starting to laugh deliriously.

While Emelie always makes sure to “freeze” in as animated a pose as possible, Meredith never laughs first. She’s a mental fortress – everyone in the family knows never to challenge Meredith in a stare game.

I CAN relate to hand games.
I KNOW hand games.
Hand games and I go waaaaay back.

Now that I think about it, hand game lyrics were far from politically correct.

They also made little to no sense.

It would be a lie to say the only reason my friends and I engaged in these hand games and chants was to sate our boredom as we sat or stood in the various lines that made up a public school day.

There were lines for everything then. We stood in lines before heading to the cafeteria, library or bus. We sat in lines across the gym floor waiting for classmates to dress-out for P.E. class. We even sat in lines waiting for nurses to comb through our hair checking for lice or coaches to run their hands across our backs checking for scoliosis.

But even without the lines, we would have learned, shared, revised and chanted our way through these games. We loved them. We thrived on them. They are a part of being a preteen and teen girl.

And amazingly (and facetiously), my incredibly unsocialized preteen and teen children sat across from me singing the same, albeit slightly modified, hand games that I did as a public school student of the 80′s.

The girls did have a few chants I wasn’t familiar with. Or some with a new twist, like:

Cinderella, dressed in yellow,
Went upstairs to kiss a fella.
Made a mistake and kissed a snake.
How many doctors did it take?

1-2-3-4-5…

On and on we will jump until someone falters. And then? We will laugh until we can’t breathe and start all over again.

Why?

Because it is so much fun.

Because it is what we do.

Because we are ridiculous, unsocialized homeschoolers?

No, of course not.

Because it has been done throughout generations and will be done for generations to come.

What were your favorite chants, hand games, jump rope games from your childhood? Any of these sound familiar or slightly altered? Record yours in the comments below!

About the Author: Heather Sanders is a work at home mom who homeschools her three children. If you’d like to learn if it’s possible for you to pursue your passions and earn an income while staying home with your kids, subscribe today.

161 Comments and 116 Replies

Steph On Friday, February 3 at 5:38 am

My friends and I couldn’t get enough of “Miss Suzy had a steamboat.” We’d play that one for hours! And “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” for jump rope!

JoMom On Friday, February 3 at 6:53 am

Oh geesh, I remember my cousin teaching me Miss Suzy. We giggled over that one forever – out of earshot from of mothers who would have never approved.

M On Friday, February 3 at 6:22 pm

Yes! I’m at work and as soon as I thought about this I thought “Ms Susie had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell (toot! toot!) Ms Susie went to heaven, the steamboat went to ,hell-o….” Had to stop myself from saying it out loud!

Dee On Saturday, February 4 at 7:57 am

Yes, we did those as well as:

Yellow (Yella) Yellow (Yella) Cinderella,
Went upstairs to kiss a fella,
Made a mistake and kissed a snake,
How many doctors did it take? (fast turning of the rope and count until you mis-jump and land on the rope)

~~~~

Blue–bells, (rope swinging side to side in a half turn)
Cockle—shells,
Evey, ivy, over, (now begin full rope turns)
In comes the teacher with a big fat stick,
Now it’s time for ‘rithmetic,
1 and 1 is 2,
2 and 2 is 4,
Now it’s time for spelllllllinggggg,
C-A-T for cat,
D-O-G for dog,
H-O-T for HOT (and we’d fast turn the rope jumping until we’d mess up)

Over the Moon (jump in over the rope)
Under the Moon (jump in under the rope)

Mrs. Mary Mac Mac Mac
All dressed in black black black
with yellow buttons buttons buttons all down her back back back
she asked her mother mother mother for fifthteen cents cents cents
to see the elephant elephant elephant jump the fence fence fence
she jumped so high high high she touched the sky sky sky and never came back back back till the fourth of july july july

I can remember doing these hand chant all the time………I tought it to my girls and they thought it was so funny I think we all laughed till we almost wet out pants (:

Andrina T. On Friday, February 3 at 9:29 pm

Rebekah On Friday, February 3 at 6:14 am

Lately I have just been skipping past the homeschooling part of PW and so I haven’t noticed Emily’s hair. I LOVE the blue! REALLY cute!

Jen On Friday, February 3 at 9:18 am

Really???

kathy On Friday, February 3 at 8:53 pm

Nope

Cathy On Saturday, February 4 at 8:28 am

Agreed, nope

Anne On Saturday, February 4 at 11:11 am

Leaving the hair aside, since it really is Emelie’s choice and hers alone, I noticed in these pictures how much young Emelie takes after her mother. Amazing! Meredith does, too, but not as much as Emelie. Heather, Emelie really looks as if she were a mini-you! You must be so proud.

Lucy On Tuesday, February 7 at 11:14 am

The hairstyle is unique but not becoming on a beautiful young lady. I think it’s one of those things that one looks back on years later and says “ugh, I can’t believe I did that.” Glad that she was allowed free choice to do that, but it looks harsh rather than soft and girly.

Mariaurora On Wednesday, February 8 at 8:11 pm

I really liked Emelie’s hair and called my 18 year old out to see it. Looks like they could be hair twins. He had a mohawk at one time a few months ago, but now wears the locks like Emelie’s parted to one side with the rest of his hair cut short. Oh and now its blue and purple, but I have seen it all colors of the rainbow. I love how my son expresses his self through his hair. And since it is hair, he can change it on a whim, and it just keeps on growing.

4

Christy Gale On Friday, February 3 at 6:20 am

Miss Lucy had a baby she named him tiny Tim
She put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water he ate three bars of soap
He tried to eat the bathtub but it wouldn’t go down his throat.
Miss Lucy called the doctor the doctor called the nurse the nurse
called the lady with the the alligator purse.
In came the doctor in came the nurse in came the lady with
The alligator purse. Timmy bit the doctor Timmy bit the nurse
Timmy bit the lady with the alligator purse. Out went the doctor
Out went the nurse out went the lady with the alligator purse.

That is probably my favorite along with Miss Mary Mack.

I do love Say say my playmate come out and play with me.
And bring your dollies three climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rainbow into my cellar door and we’ll
Be jolly friends forevermore. That one is a bit foggy not sure if I remember
It correctly. I think there is more maybe someone can remember it.

Mary On Friday, February 3 at 6:25 am

Christy, you definitely got that “say say my playmate” but for some reason we used to say “see see my playmate.” I have no idea why, as that doesn’t make any sense.

MontreatGal On Friday, February 3 at 8:08 am

We said “see see” too, but for some reason in my head I always pictured it as “CiCi”, like it was somebody’s name! How funny to look back and remember all these great things!

PonyFla On Friday, February 3 at 8:11 am

This is a song my mother sang to us when we were kids fifty or so years ago. Between verse 1 and verse 2 there is a bridge that you youngsters must not have ever heard:

Ruth On Friday, February 3 at 8:24 am

My mother taught me this one!!
“Oh Playmate, come out and play with me!
And bring your dollies three,
Climb up my apple tree,
Holler down my rain barrel,
Slide down my cellar door,
And we’ll be jolly friends
Forever more!”
It was a rainy day,
She couldn’t come out to play,
With a tearful eye she breathed a sigh
And I could hear her say,
“I’m sorry Playmate.
I cannot play with you.
My dollie’s got the flu,
B00-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Ain’t got no rain barrel,
Ain’t got no cellar door,
But we’ll be jolly friends
Forever more!”

Sometimes we’d forget and sing, “With a tearful sigh she breathed an eye..” and start laughing. Hmm, I have a Sisters Reunion coming up in June, perhaps I’ll make a collection of all the funny rhymes we used to share…

I love the one about the lady with the alligator purse. I have forgotten most of it, thanks for refreshing my memory.

EofS On Friday, February 3 at 8:27 am

We were discussing this at work a while ago – two of us the same age who grew up maybe 10 miles apart, another colleague a couple of years older from further afield, and a final colleague about half a generation older than us, who grew up in London (we’re all English). We all had sung that song as a clapping game, all using the same actions, but all knew slightly different versions of the words. So it fascinates me to see that it exists in the USA as well, albeit with much more dramatically different words. Where I grew up it was as follows:
See see my baby
I cannot play with you
Because I’ve got the flu
Chicken pox and measles too
Climb down my bannister
Slide down my drainpipe
And we’ll be happy
Forever more, cha-cha!

I should think there’s a fascinating study to be done into the variance of such playground rhymes. I’ll be very interested to see if any Antipodeans turn up and report a version of this same song.

Plano Mom On Friday, February 3 at 8:28 am

Right after the doctor, nurse, and LOLady come in, they say,
“It’s measles said the doctor
It’s mumps said the nurse
It’s nothin’ said the little old lady with the alligator purse.”

Sandie On Friday, February 3 at 5:37 pm

Ruth OMG are we the same age? My mother sang that song to me also! I had forgotten about it until I read your post and it all came flooding back. I LOVED that song when I was a little girl. Thank you for reminding me of a wonderful memory.

Sarah T On Friday, February 3 at 6:07 pm

We had say say oh playmate, and a nasty one that we’d sing with it, or that the boys would taunt the girls with, say say oh enemy

My favorite was Say, Say, O Playmate. And we can’t forget Miss Sue from Alabama and the one about calling the lady with the alligator purse.

Jump rope: Blue Bells; The Kissing Chant

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

kellymarie On Friday, February 3 at 9:02 am

That was the one I was going to say…Miss Mary Black…Love that one

Raelene On Friday, February 3 at 9:11 pm

I love Down, Down Baby from elementary school. We sang it like this:

Down, down, baby,
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet, sweet, baby
Mama never let you go…
Shimmy, shimmy cocoa pop,
Shimmy, shimmy wow
Shimmy, shimmy cocoa pop,
Shimmy, shimmy wow
I met a boyfriend – a biscuit!
He’s so cute – a tiscuit!
Apples on the table, peaches on the floor
Step back baby, I don’t love you any more!
To the front, to the back, to the side side side
To the front, to the back, to the side side side

Carol On Friday, February 3 at 6:42 am

Betty Boughter bought a bit of bitter butter.
Betty Boughter said , ” If I put this bitter butter in my battter , it will make my batter bitter.
So, Betty Boughter bought a bit of better butter and put it in her batter and it made her batter better.

EofS On Friday, February 3 at 8:19 am

I’ve never come across that one as a skipping/clapping game, only as a tongue-twister in a longer form. (I’m in the UK.)

Betty Botter bought some butter
But she said “this butter’s bitter”
“If I put it in my batter it will make my batter bitter”
“But a bit of better butter, that would make my batter better”
So she bought a bit of butter
Better than the bitter butter
And she put it in her batter
And her batter was not bitter
So ’twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter

Ruth On Friday, February 3 at 10:24 am

The EofS version is one my husband learned in auction school to limber up their voices. And I heard it often – as we traveled down the road he would auction things in sight and the kids in the back seat would bid. Great fun. For the first fifteen miles or so.

8

Theresa in Alberta On Friday, February 3 at 6:44 am

I can not choose what is funnier (and cute) the verses or the expressive looks on the girls faces
Silly question….if your kids are home schooled, why did they have to stand in line at public school?

Dee On Saturday, February 4 at 8:05 am

Yes we sang those, too (early to mid 1970′s). My mom said she sang them in the school yard in the 1940′s. I commented to the chants at the beginning, adding in Yellow Yellow Cinderella.

10

Tulip's Mom On Friday, February 3 at 7:24 am

I am a pretty little Dutch girl
My home is far away.
I fell in love with a rub-a-dub-dub
Way down in USA.
He asked me to be his first wife
I said nay, nay, nay, nay
He took me to his castle
And there I had to stay.
He fed me up on peaches
He fed me up on pears
He fed me up on fifty cents
and kissed me on the stairs.
I gave him back his peaches.
I gave him back his pears.
I gave him back his fifty cents
and kicked him down the stairs.
My mother needed peaches.
My sister needed pears.
And I myself needed fifty cents
to help repair the stairs.

Fifth grade, Indianapolis, 1959

Meg On Friday, February 3 at 9:03 am

In Florida (1980s/early 90s) we had a different Dutch girl rhyme:

Oh, I’m a pretty little Dutch Girl,
As pretty as pretty can be, be, be,
And all the boys at my school,
go crazy over me, me, me.
My boyfriend’s name is Tommy,
We live in a city called Cindy,
With a bump on his nose and ten cute toes,
and this is how my story goes,
When day when I was walking,
I heard my boyfriend talking,
to a pretty little girl,
with a chocolate curl,
and this is what he said to her,
I L-O-V-E love you,
Gonna K-I-double S kiss you,
So I jumped in a lake,
and swallowed a snake
and came out with a bellyache!

Dee On Saturday, February 4 at 8:16 am

Our version of this song (CA, early to mid 1970′s) was on a record I had at home similar to yours:

I am a pretty little school girl,
As pretty as pretty can be-e-e,
And all the boys around the block,
go crazy over me-e-e.
My boyfriend’s name is Fatty,
He comes from Cincinnati,
With 48 toes and a pickle on his nose,
and this is how my story goes,
When day when I was walking,
I heard my boyfriend talking,
To a pretty little girl with a strawberry curl,
And this is what he said to her,
I L-O-V-E love you,
I K-I-S-S kiss you,
I K-I-S-S kiss you on your F-A-C-E face face face!

11

robin On Friday, February 3 at 7:29 am

My mother, your mother
Live across the street.
Every night they have a fight,
And this is what they say:

natalie On Friday, February 3 at 7:30 am

ice cream sundae, cherry on top. who’s your boyfriend, i forgot. A..B..C..D..E.. when you mess up that’s the letter your “boyfriend’s” name starts with

13

Erin On Friday, February 3 at 7:49 am

Jump rope song:

Not last night but the night before
24 robbers came knocking at my door
as I ran out, they ran in
hit me on the head with a bottle of gin
asked them what they wanted and this is what they said
Spanish dancers do the splits
the kicks
the turn-around, touch the ground
get out of town
Spanish dancers please come back, back
sit on a tack
read a book and do not look
1,2,3,4….etc. (as you jump with eyes closed)

Kim On Friday, February 3 at 9:10 am

We did this one as a double dutch song.
…as they ran in, I ran out (and we’d run out of the ropes)
as they ran out, I ran in (and we’d run back into the ropes)
I don’t remember singing the rest of this. Probably because it was so darn hard to get in and out of the double dutch ropes that we usually had to start over at the running in or out part.
I also remember Cinderella dressed in yella.
We also did Say Say my Enemy. (Weren’t we clever!)
I didn’t know Ms Mary Mack, but my 10-year old learned it at school last year.
What fun!!

Sherri On Friday, February 3 at 9:38 am

Wow. Talk about bringing back memories. I remember that one from jumping rope in the 70s.

CookieD-oh On Friday, February 3 at 9:47 am

Oooh, this was our favorite one back in the early 80′s (perhaps the very late seventies…), only we got hit on the head with a rolling pin. We also did Say Say My Playmate/Enemy, the one about the lady with the Alligator bag, and the sailor one:

Two sailors went to sea, sea, sea
To see what they could see, see, see
But all that they could see, see, see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.

kathy On Friday, February 3 at 8:56 pm

Takes me back to the days of the little quizzes and paper foldy things that were supposed to tell you who would marry. A great book about the rhymes that we’ve gotten from the library is Miss Mary Mack and Other Children’s Street Rhymes:

Corndog On Friday, February 3 at 7:51 am

My husband and I STILL play a hand game (it’s one that I taught him), but it doesn’t really have words that I know of, except counting out loud, but we don’t because it’s more fun to see who loses track and messes up first. I think it’s called “Slide Baby”? It’s fun, we just played it the other night and I always win! We also do thumb war a lot. But one of the hand games I remember from when I was 5 or 6:

OMG. I’d forgotten all about this one until I read this. Wow… blast from the past!

Karen On Friday, February 3 at 8:31 am

I learned this one from The Cosby Show!

17

heidig On Friday, February 3 at 7:52 am

I remember most of these – so fun! And for the record (I have 2 girls in college – yikes!), it’s “talking” not “dating” these days. And what is “talking” you ask? I’m not really sure although they explained it to me “a million times”!!

18

Erin On Friday, February 3 at 7:53 am

Hand clap song

Down by the banks of the hankey pankey
where the bull frogs jumped from bank to bankey
with an eep aapp oop um
and an ep scop-a-dilly and a
ker plunk

Rachel On Friday, February 3 at 10:48 am

SaraC On Friday, February 3 at 12:32 pm

This is the one I remember the most too. And it had more difficult hand movements!

19

Stephanie R On Friday, February 3 at 8:05 am

Our Cinderella was slightly different

Cinderella dressed in yellow
Went downstairs to meet her fella
On the way her britches busted
How many people were disgusted

Plus I see teddy bear teddy bear… was mentioned in a previous comment we loved this one as well. There were many more and your post brings back some fond memories of jump roping and doing hand games.

20

Alyson On Friday, February 3 at 8:07 am

I just had to comment on the whole”dating” thing coming from an 11 year old. My 11 year old says the same thing. I have told her numerous times, it isn’t “dating” or “going out” when two non-driving CHILDREN are boyfriend/girlfriend. So nice to know that terminology is being used in your neck of the woods also.

I think Mrs. Mary Mac was my favorite chant. Still love to sing that one now.

21

Big Martha On Friday, February 3 at 8:07 am

With 10 siblings in my home, there were LOTS of hand games. this was a favorite:

Three, six, nine
The goose drink wine, the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line,
The line broke, the monkey got choked and they all went to heaven in a a little row boat.
CLAP, CLAP!
Hahaha, I don’t believe we ever even thought about what the words really say:)

Mamadallama On Friday, February 3 at 9:20 am

My mama told me if I was goody
That she would buy me a rubber dolly
My Aunty told her I kissed a soldier
Now she won’t buy me a rubber dolly.

Three-six-nine
the goose drank wine etc

Jamie On Friday, February 3 at 5:23 pm

My mom always sang this to us! My BIL won’t let my sister sing it to their kids because “it doesn’t make any sense:

26

Wren On Friday, February 3 at 8:25 am

I’m a child of the 50′s, so I have either forgotten many of these or they are more modern. One I do remember is:

A sailor went to sea sea sea
To see what he could see see see
But all that he could see see see
Was the bottom of the o sea sea.

I think there were more verses than that.

bonnievb On Friday, February 3 at 10:01 am

My sister and I used to do this one all the time! There was also a rope jumping rhyme we used. All I can remember is the chorus, which was done really quickly: rich man, poor man, beggarman, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief. This was supposed to tell your future. Since I was younger and uncoordinated, I always tripped up on poor man or beggarman. There were also rhymes for what kind of house you would live in and what kind of ring you would have. I’ll have to ask my sister if she remembers those verses.

carol On Saturday, February 4 at 8:03 pm

As kids we did the rich man, poor man, beggarman, thief chant to our buttons. Starting at the top, the top button was rich man, next was the poor man and so on till the buttons ran out. That was supposed to state who we would marry.

27

Plano Mom On Friday, February 3 at 8:30 am

We played Miss Suzie, too, and were deliciously scandalized by the suggestive lyrics. There was also a hand game called Billy Boy -
Cross down when Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb,
Thumb, di ah da, Thumb, di ah da, half past one.
Cross down when Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoe… and it went on through ten.

Probably my favorite hand game was to a McDonalds commercial. I remember playing it on the bus during our eighth grade class trip to Chicago. The “song” went:
Big Mac Filet-o-Fish Quarter Pounder french fries, icy Coke thick shakes sundaes and apple pies
… and we would do it over and over, faster each time, until we broke into giggles or messed up the hand movements.

Brynn On Friday, February 3 at 9:36 am

Our version was:
Cross down when Johnnie was one
He learned to suck his thumb
Thumb diego, Thumb deigo
Half past one.

Cross down when Johnnie was two
He learned to tie his shoe
Shoe diego, Shoe deigo
Half past two

Three: He fell and skinned his knee
Four: He hid behind the door
Five: He poked a big beehive
Six: He learned to pick up sticks
Seven: He died and went to heaven
Eight: He learned to open the gate
Nine: He spanked his own behind (WTH is up with THAT one?!?)
Ten: He plucked a big fat hen

We thought that was soooo funny. Ah, the good old days when saying gross words was the height of misbehaving!

Lynne On Friday, February 3 at 12:44 pm

Ok–here’s from my deep dark past–

Great green gobs of gushy, grimy gopher guts,
Insulated monkey butts (whatEVER is, I always wondered. It was fun to say “butt” out of adult hearing since it is a bad word.)
Little Birdies dirty feet.
French fried eyeballs
dipped in camel snot.
And I forgot my fork…
…But I brought a spoon…

Jennifer D On Friday, February 3 at 1:02 pm

May father always came out with the greasy grimy gopher guts. I didn’t know it was part of something else. I also wonder he got it from, he’s the oldest of 5 boys.

We sang it at 4-H camp (late 70s into late 80s) as:
Great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts
Mutilated monkey meat
Smashed up parakeet
French fried eyeballs dipped in kerosene
Too bad I lost my spoon,
But I got a straaaaaw (insert slurping noise)

Lisa N. On Monday, February 6 at 10:37 am

and we used to sing the second verse after I forgot my spoon was

So give me scab sandwiches
with puss on top
Monkey vomit and
Camel snot
Elephants eyeballs chopped in two
eat it _______ it’s good for you!!

31

Debbie Freeland On Friday, February 3 at 8:48 am

This is one that I remember and I am a 70′s child!!! I really remember it ariound 4th and 5th grade when boys were still full of cooties!!!!

apples on a stick
gonna make me sick
makes my heart go 2, 4, 6
not because I’m dirty
not because I’m clean
not because I kissed a boy behind a magazine
Hey girls… here comes sally
she can do the wobble
she can do the twist
betcha five dollars she can’t do this
close your eyes and count to ten
if you miss you gotta kiss your boy friend!!!

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

then we all fell out laughing because you NEVER wanted to kiss a boy at that age!!!

Oh my, we did this one too but with some other words.. Hey, girls, let’s have some fun, here comes Johnny with his pants undone! All the rest was the same :o).

32

Michelle On Friday, February 3 at 8:53 am

Must say I didn’t notice the unfolded shirt ’til you mentioned it. My eyes were immediately drawn to the colored hair and extremely short shorts!

33

Sara B On Friday, February 3 at 9:01 am

I never thought about how silly these were, but it has been fun reading them! Here are two more I didn’t see….

Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue
Fourteen hundred and ninety-two
The waves got higher, and higher, and over the ocean blue
Down in the valley where the green grass grows
Sat Miss (insert your name here) and pretty as a rose
Along came (insert name of boy) and kissed her on the cheek
How many kisses did she get that week?
1-2-3-4-5….

Eenie meenie dis-a-leenie
Oop bopp bopp-a-leenie
Etcha ketcha liver-atcha
I love you
Have a peach, have a plum, have a stick of bubblegum
Have a peach, have a plum, have a stick of bubblegum
Saw you at your boyfriend’s house laaaaaast night
- How do you know?
Peeked through the keyhole!
- Noooooosy!
Didn’t do the dishes!
- Laaaaaazy!
Had a bowl of ice cream!
- Greeeeedy!
So…Etcha ketcha liver-atcha
I love you!

34

linda in WI On Friday, February 3 at 9:04 am

We had a very complicated hand game done to the TAB tune:
Tab, Tab Cola, what a beautiful treat.
Tab, Tab Cola, for beautiful people,
Tab, Tab Cola, You’re beautiful to meet.
16 ounces and just one calorie, TAB!

LOL, think that commercial would ever play today?

35

Lisa On Friday, February 3 at 9:06 am

I actually have three…..

1. Sittin in a Tree

Scott and Amy were sittin’ in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G,
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes Amy with a baby carriage

2. Little Sally Walker

Little Sally Walker,
Was walking down the street (beep, beep)
She didn’t know what to do,
So she said these words to me,
She said…
“Hey girl, do yo’ thang, do yo’ thang, now switch,
“Hey girl, do yo’ thang, do yo’ thang, now switch,
(repeat)

3. Sipping Cider

The cutest boy
(echo: the cutest boy)
I ever saw
(I ever saw)
Was sipping ci
(was sipping ci)
der through a straw
(der through a straw)
The cutest boy I ever saw
was sipping cider through a straw.

I asked him if
(I asked him if)
he’d show me how
(he’d show me how)
To sip some ci
(to sip some ci)
der through a straw
(der through a straw)
I asked him if he’d show me how
to sip some cider through a straw.

He said of course
(he said of course)
he’d show me how
(he’d show me how)
To sip some ci
(to sip some ci)
der through a straw (der through a straw)

He said of course he’d show me how
to sip some cider through a straw.

First cheek to cheek
(first cheek to cheek)
then jaw to jaw
(then jaw to jaw)
We sipped some ci
(we sipped some ci)
der through a straw
(der through a straw)
First cheek to cheek
then jaw to jaw
we sipped some cider
through a straw.

Then all at once
(then all at once)
that darn straw slipped
(that darn straw slipped)
And we were sip
(and we were sip)
ping lip to lip (ping lip to lip)
Then all at once
that darn straw slipped
and we were sipping lip to lip.

The moral of
(the moral of)
this story is
(this story is)
Do not sip ci
(do not sip ci)
der through a straw
(der through a straw)
The moral of this story is
do not sip cider
through a straw.

Keri On Friday, February 3 at 9:58 am

I remember that Cider song very well. And now I have my daughter jumping rope in gym to an Irish/English chilren’s song–Tell Me Ma because on of our favorite bands, Gaelic Storm sings a version of it.

Tell me ma when I go home
The boys won’t leave the girls alone
They pulled my hair, they stole my comb
But that’s all right till I go home

(chorus):She is handsome, she is pretty
She is the belle of Belfast city
She is courting one, two, three
Please, won’t you tell me, who is she?

Albert Mooney says he loves her
All the boys are fighting for her
They knock at the door and they ring the bell
Saying, oh my true love, are you well?
She comes out as white as snow
Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
Old Jenny Murphy says she’ll die
If she doesn’t get the guy with the roving eye

(Chorus)

Let the wind and the rain and the hail blow high
Let the snow come tumbling from the sky
She’s as sweet as apple pie
And she’ll get her lad by and by
When she gets a lad of her own
She won’t tell her ma when she goes home
Let them all come as they will
It’s Albert Mooney she loves still

(Chorus)

Rachel On Friday, February 3 at 10:51 am

This is the next one I was going to mention!

36

kellymarie On Friday, February 3 at 9:06 am

Besides Miss MAry Black, other things that came to mind…

Mother may I

Red light, Green Light

Cats in craddle with the string(still love that)

Fortune telling with paper folded up but you could move it with your hands and people would flip over the flaps..

I sang a version of almost all of these chants, it’s delightful remembering them!

37

Tammy Gregory On Friday, February 3 at 9:08 am

Yikes! I’m sorry to say, with the exception of they jump rope Cinderella chant, I’ve never heard of any of these things! I played jump rope in grade school when the “popular girls” would allow me to, but that was it! I clearly led a very sheltered life, it seems!

38

Emily C On Friday, February 3 at 9:10 am

We had a totally different ending to “Went to a Chinese Restaurant”
Ours was:
My name is Elvis Presley
Girls are sexy
Going to the barnyard
Drinking Pepsi

39

Hjcary On Friday, February 3 at 9:13 am

I remember doing the hand games in school and on the long country school bus ride. Spent lots of time on the bus. My memory is not good in that I remember spending hours doing these hand games but I don’t remember the words. Some of them posted above definitely ring a bell so I may have to try to re-learn them and teach them to my girls Maybe they can do them on their long bus ride.

kathy On Friday, February 3 at 9:05 pm

A lot of our ditties were not politically correct

42

Christine On Friday, February 3 at 9:26 am

I just did Say Say Oh Playmate with my 3 year old – he thinks it’s hilarious.

I always thought it was Sailor Door, which even as an 8 year old I thought was stupid – what the heck is a sailor door? Glad to know it was just the Missouri accent kicking in. How could I have never realized it was cellar door? : D

43

jilrubia On Friday, February 3 at 9:27 am

This is great..so many I haven’t heard, but one sounds particularly familiar. Will see if it sparks any muscle memory in my hands later today. At Christmas time I bought a book for my daughter, who is 4. It’s to help me teach her more games–hand claps, jump ropes, counting out games. It’s called: “Miss Mary Mack and Other Children’s Street Rhymes” by Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson. On another note: One of my favorite ‘counting out’ games was taught to us (in the 70′s) by my best friends’ mom from California. Eeney Meeney, Tippa Teeny. Ah, bah Boobalini. Acheey, Kacheey, Libarace…Out goes YOU!

I used to do hand clap games ALL the time! I remember the Cindereall jump rope chant, but I’ve never heard the others in this post. Ms. Mary Mac and Bullfrog, Bullfrog are two that I remember.

45

MrsRitz On Friday, February 3 at 9:36 am

Matalina Catalina Hoopa Doopa Dina and a Hoka Poka Loka was her name.
She had two eyes in her head, one was pink and the other was red.
Matalina Catalina Hoopa Doopa Dina and a Hoka Poka Loka was her name.
She had a neck like a garden hose and right in the middle was a big black mole.
Matalina Catalina Hoopa Doopa Dina and a Hoka Poka Loka was her name.
She had two hairs on the top of her head, one was alive and the other was dead.
Matalina Catalina Hoopa Doopa Dina and a Hoka Poka Loka was her name.
She had two teeth in the middle of her mouth, one pointed north and the other pointed south.
Matalina Catalina Hoopa Doopa Dina and a Hoka Poka Loka was her name.

46

Camille On Friday, February 3 at 9:39 am

I have no idea where this came from, but looking at the words I realize it seems absoluely ancient. I’m in my late 50′s and from New England. All the kids in my neighborhood and school knew this rhyming song and it’s been passed around forever! We would sing this as a hand game or as we jumped rope. Anyone else ever heard of this one?

I’ve got six pence,
jolly, jolly six pence,
I’ve got six pence to last me all my life;
I’ve got six pence to lend,
or six pence to spend,
or six pence to send home to my wife,
poor wife!

No kids have I to tease me,
no pretty little girls to deceive me,
I’m as happy as a king,
like a bird upon the wing,
as we go rolling, rolling home.

47

mickdess On Friday, February 3 at 9:39 am

Glad you posted this. Made me look this one up. I’ve been singing it to my boys when we have spaghetti, but couldn’t remember past the first verse. Maybe I’ll make spaghetti tonight!

To the tune of “Ontop Of Old Smokey”

Ontop of spaghetti,
all covered with cheese.
I lost my poor meatball,
when somebody sneezed.

It rolled on the table
and onto the floor.
I found my poor meatball
had rolled out the door.

It rolled in the garden,
and under a bush.
I found my poor meatball,
was nothing but mush.

The very next morning,
I found a bush,
all covered in meatballs,
all covered with cheese. * (May not be accurate. I don’t remember it not rhyming…. )

So if you have spaghetti,
all covered with cheese.
Hang onto your meatballs,
and don’t ever sneeze.

Rachel On Friday, February 3 at 10:52 am

The third one I was going to say, and now I only have 1 more notable one left to see if anyone else has posted!

kellymarie On Friday, February 3 at 10:54 am

I remember this one

Rachel On Friday, February 3 at 2:59 pm

“The mush tasted tasty
as tasty could be
And early next summer
It grew to a tree
The tree was all covered
in beautiful moss
big nice round meatballs
And tomato sauce.”

AnitaHobby On Friday, February 3 at 10:24 pm

OMIGOSH I LUVED this one….said the meatballs all the time! ….but my all time fav is

“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her poor dog a bone
But when she got there the cupboard was bare and that poooor little doggie….better go to the market!

HAHAHAHAH OKAAAAAY …. that’s how we say it today to our four legged furkids!

48

mickdess On Friday, February 3 at 9:45 am

Oh great! I thought of two more….

We’re going to the country
We’re going to the fair
To see a senorita
With flowers in her hair
Oh…. Shake it, shake it, shake it
Shake it all you can
Shake it like a milkshake
Then shake it once again
Oh, rub it to the bottom
Rub it to the top
Turn around, turn around
Then you make it STOP.

And:
Apples on a stick
Make me sick
Make my tummy go
Two forty-six
Not because it’s dirty
Not because it’s clean
Just because I kissed a boy
Behind a magazine
Hey girls! Wanna have some fun?
Here comes (boy’s name) with his pants undone
He can wiggle, he can waddle, he can do the splits,
But I’ll bet ten dollars he can’t do this…

Nikki On Friday, February 3 at 9:49 am

Oh wow, that brought back memories. I remembering having to explain to my mom that “going” with a boy was NOT dating. Now “dating”, is being explained to me by my 13 yr old, is like “going” in my time.

50

Nia On Friday, February 3 at 9:51 am

Columbus went to sea-sea-sea
to see what he could see-see-see
but all that he could see-see-see
was the bottom of the deep blue sea-sea-sea!
(we would lower ourselves for each time we completed the rhyme, then restart until we fell, usually from laughter:)

When we were feeling naughty or rebelious, we would ‘push the envelope’ and chant:

Hello Operator, please give me number 9
and if you disconnect me, I’ll kick you from
Behind the fridgerator, there lay a piece of glass
when Susie sat upon it, she cut her little
Ask me no more questions, I’ll tell you no more lies…

…and sadly, I cannot remember the rest at this moment, but I’m sure I’ll have it again by the end of the day!

P.S. My favorite answer to the ‘are they socialized?’ question is “That is precisely why I DO homeschool my children!”

Katie W On Friday, February 3 at 10:19 am

This is the one I remember too- here is the whole thing

Miss Lucy had a steam boat
The steamboat had a bell,
Miss Lucy went to heaven and the
Steamboat went to…

Hello operator
Please give me number nine
And if you disconnect me
I will kick you from…

Behind the ‘fridgerator
There was a piece of glass
Miss Lucy sat upon it
And she cut her little…

Ask me no more questions
I’ll tell you no more lies
The boys are in the bathroom
Pulling down their…

Flies are in the meadow
The bees are in the park
Miss Lucy and her boyfriend
Are kissing in the… D- A- R- K, D- A -R- K, dark, dark, dark

anna On Friday, February 3 at 10:33 am

tell me no more lies..

the cows are in the pasture eating chocolate pies and lemonade

Sarah T On Saturday, February 4 at 7:59 pm

I know the even more extended version. After D-A-R-K. D-A-R-K….
“Dark is like a movie,
a movie’s like a show.
A show is like a TV show
and that is all I know.
I know I know my ma,
I know I know my pa,
I know I know my sister with the 80 mile bra!”

51

Kathy S On Friday, February 3 at 10:04 am

This is so much fun to read, I use to play these all the time but remember very few. I do rememeber part of one.

Have you ever ever ever in your Long legged life
seen a long legged sailor with a long legged wife
No I’ve never ever ever in my long legged life
seen a long legged sailor with a long legged wife.

And how about
Chester have you heard about Harry
just got back form the army
knows he need not face defeat
hip hip horay for the army

it’s amazing that your girls remember those games. I am 25 and people my age a lot of them don’t even remember doing them! lol So many girls today don’t even know what it is to play games like this anymore.

53

Lisa S On Friday, February 3 at 10:12 am

Jump rope song…
Texaco, Texaco, over the hills to Mexico
Where they do the splits, splits, splits
Give a high kick, kick, kick
Turn around, round, round
Touch the ground, ground, ground
Get out of town, town, town.

I haven’t thougt about these in year, but lately my kids have been bringing some of these oldies back. And then they’re surprised when I join in!

TanyaK On Friday, February 3 at 10:16 am

Cerrin On Friday, February 3 at 12:34 pm

Eeny Meeny miney mo
Catch a tiger by the toe
If he hollares let him go
Eeny Meeny miney mo

55

Laurel S On Friday, February 3 at 10:21 am

A few years ago my husband and I visited China. I did a double-take when I saw two young girls waiting at a bus stop doing the same hand-clapping game that I had done as a child. Of course, I didn’t understand the words but I felt an instant rapport with them. More recently my husband and I visited an orphanage in India. The girls there fell into giggles when I started teaching them the hand-clapping chant “Playmate, come out and play with me.” It turns out they knew the words and clapping routine better than I and I couldn’t keep up with them!

56

Michelle On Friday, February 3 at 10:22 am

Didn’t notice the unfolded shirts at all. My eyes were drawn to the colorful hair and very short shorts!

Kathy S On Friday, February 3 at 3:05 pm

I guess having no dress code is a benefit of homeschooling? I thought they were panties at first. When I was in high school, they wouldn’t let a girl attend classes because she had dyed her (very short) hair lavender. I thought that was a little over the top, but I appreciate the principle of grooming guidelines.

Heather, you obviously have a free-spirited daughter who chooses to express herself in unorthodox ways (glasses, hair, etc.). I realize some parents are more conservative than others, but would you mind sharing how you made the decision to allow Emily to make her own choices regarding appearance and any benefits or challenges you’ve seen from it?

Katje On Saturday, February 4 at 11:27 am

Lindsay – What’s unorthodox about glasses if you need to wear them? Glasses, hair and piercings are all forms of self expression – they’re not a sign of Heather or Jeff being bad parents or not keeping a close eye on their daughter. I know my own mother was more than happy for me to color my hair and get a couple of body piercings as that was my way of expressing myself. It never led me to do anything else if you’re worried it’s some kind of slippery slope.

I think Emilie looks awesome and totally agree with Heather allowing her daughter to express herself like this – there are far more dangerous and destructive things for kids to get mixed up in than having interesting hair and glasses. See beyond what the person looks like!

Haley On Saturday, February 4 at 3:10 pm

Seriously, Lindsay? It was obviously night-time when this photo was taken. I hope that my own students, who have to wear a uniform of khaki, navy, and/or green to school, celebrate their own individuality in the comfort of their own home.

Emilia On Sunday, February 5 at 2:01 pm

The photo and attire went beyond the home as soon as it was posted to the internet.

Lindsay, thank you for your question. Jeff and I are considered conservative by most standards. Within certain limits, we encourage self-expression because we feel hair color and styles are irrelevant in the big picture. Our biggest concern is our children’s heart – we do not want to nurture defiance or belligerence, but we do not see that spirit rooting in any of our kids (okay, sometimes we have to head it off at the pass). They feel and vocalize that we trust them. That said, neither Jeff or I are crazy about Em’s hair and she knows it because we are honest with her.

This particular photo was taken at night. The girls were in pajamas – not something they would be allowed to leave the house in. That said, there is wisdom and validity to Emilia’s words, “The photo and attire went beyond the home as soon as it was posted to the internet.” I have taken that to heart and appreciate her boldness.

SharonFaye On Sunday, February 5 at 10:35 pm

Seeing the darkness outside the windows & knowing it’s wintertime, one would (or should) just assume the girls were wearing pajamas. It’s not like the shorts were so short or hip-huggery that they showed their underwear or midriffs or other unmentionable areas. Just their legs. Believe me… you can see skimpier attire at the local swimming pool (both indoor and outdoor, no matter the weather outside) AND at your local Walmart !

As for Emilie’s hair… It’s not everyone’s cup of tea to have blue hair. But on Emilie… It really seems to work. You have beautiful children, Heather. Hair color is temporary. Hair cuts are temporary. Your relationship with your children is permanent and the fact that even though you and Jeff may not care for the blue hair, you still let Emilie try it… is admirable.

Bernie On Thursday, February 9 at 7:51 am

My son had purple, then smurf blue hair in his early 20′s, and some piercings that his dad and I were not fond of (to say the least). He found out the hard way, that unfortunately, people DO judge a book by its cover, especially future employers. It was a phase. He is now 26, has normal ( more mainstream) looking hair, and does not look like he fell face first into a tackle box. (and is so darn cute!) Despite good credentials, he only ever got a second interview after he got rid of the extreme looks. Unless you’re going into and “artsy” profession, right or wrong, looks can work against you.

57

Maureen On Friday, February 3 at 10:25 am

Boy it was harder to write this than to chant!

eenie meenie peps a deenie
ah bah boob a leenie
utchie kutchie Liberace
I pick you to
have a peach
have a plum
have a stick of monkey gum
if you want another one
this is what you say
a lamb a lamb
a lambie Annie San Diego
hocus pocus dom-in-o-cus
yaaaaaaay monkeys

eenie, meenie, jips a leenie
ah pop, pop a leenie
at chi kotchie liberace
I like you
take a peach, take a plum
take a piece of chewing gum
no more school, no more books
no more teacher’s dirty looks
hey!

58

sheryl On Friday, February 3 at 10:29 am

Does anyone remember “this old man”? it was a counting game,

This old man he played one, he played nick, nack on my thumb with a nick, nack paddy whack give a dog a bone, this old man came rolling home..
this old man he played 2 he played nick nack on my shoe, with a nick nack paddy whack give a dog a bone, this old man came rolling home.
this old man he played 3 he played nick nack on my tree, with a nick nack paddy whack give a dog a bone, this old man came rolling home.
this old man, he played 4 he played nick nack on my floor, etc…
this old man he played 5, he played nick nack on my hive (?) etc..
this old man he played 6 he played nick nack with my sticks,,
this old man he played 7 he played nick nack up in heaven,
this old man he played 8 he played nick nack on my skates,
this old man he played 9 ,,(can’t remember this one!)
or # 10 for that matter….
I DO remember several of the others mentioned here, bring back many fun times!

kathy On Friday, February 3 at 9:10 pm

Some of this Ozark Farm Chick’s faves were….OOOOOooooh Miss Mary Mack~Mack~ Mack…allllllll dressed in black, black, black…. or Miss Mary Had a Steamboat, the steamboat had a bell, Miss Mary went to heaven, the steamboat went to hellllllO Operator please give me back my dime……..(this one drove my parents crazy!!!) :o)

There were many that kept us entertained back in the day. I loved your pics and the video. That Emelie is just animated anyway. Your girls are precious.

From the rainy hills and hollers of the mucky Missouri Ponderosa, ya’ll have a marvelously blessed fun weekend!!! :o)

61

JJ On Friday, February 3 at 10:40 am

When my daughter was in first grade, she came home from school and sang this song to me:

I went to a Chinese restaurant
To buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread
The waitress took my order
and this is what I said, said, said
I do karate
Punch you in the body
Oops, I’m sorry
Better call your mommy
Chinese
Japanese
1-2-3
Freeze!

It came complete with her fingers pulling the corners of her eyes up and down to emphasize “Chinese” and “Japanese.”

We’re Asian.

I spoke to her about why that was offensive and let her know that it’s wrong to make other people feel bad, even if they were just playing. She was pretty upset because she said that she didn’t mean to make fun of people. I told her that some people do that motion to make fun of Asian people. I explained what racism was and that it was wrong because it made people feel terrible. I try to be honest with her using age-appropriate language.

Some versions might be just be “politically incorrect”, but there are several songs out there that are just plain racist…just seeping in until it seems okay to be offensive.

Claudia in Greeley On Saturday, February 4 at 10:42 am

Thanks for bringing this up, JJ. As I have been reading through these comments, I have been remembering some chants that I learned growing up in the South. I have not thought about them for many years. There are very few that I would post here because most of them are offensive. At the time I was learning these games, I thought nothing of what they really said. However, those rhymes that made false assumptions about whole groups of people made it acceptable for the rest of us to believe those people were inferior to us.

In regard to casual games that make fun of ethnic and racial groups, I believe we live in a better time. You were so wise to explain patiently to your daughter why the games were offensive. But I am sorry that you and she had to experience that casual racism.

Yes, if my children were pulling at their eyes or making racial slurs I would certainly correct them. I’ve not heard the version you posted above.

62

Rachel On Friday, February 3 at 10:57 am

Well, I finally get to post one I believe hasn’t been mentioned yet. We loved to sing diddies and chants as preteens/teens. My song:
Found a peanut, found a peanut, found a peanut just now, just now I found a peanut, found a peanut just now.
It was rotten, it was rotten, it was rotten just now, just now I found a peanut and it was rotten just now.
Ate it anyway, ate it anyway ate it anyway just now, just now I ate a peanut, ate a peanut just now.
It goes on and on and I only remember some of the verses.
I love that you did this post because many of these I want to teach to my young girls (and boy ).

Rachel On Friday, February 3 at 3:06 pm

We sang the versus like this…(I’m leaving out the “just now” parts
Got sick
Called the doctor
Gave me a shot
Died anyway
Went to heaven
Poked an angel
Got a transfer
Saw the devil
Broke his pitchfork
Got a transfer
Back to earth
Found a peanut
Cracked it open
It was rotten
(you can either throw it away to end the song or eat it and start all over)

63

Jessi On Friday, February 3 at 11:09 am

for picking who’s “it”

Bubble gum bubble gum
In a dish
How many pieces do you wish?

then the person you land on picks a number and you count those out…I think

64

Gail T. from GA On Friday, February 3 at 11:10 am

OMG, does this bring back memories! I wish kids today did more of these activities and less of the video games, reality TV, and cell phones. The chants and jump rope jingles were WAY funner!! haha (I realize that funner isn’t a word… I think)

I totally remember those games! What was that one game with the strangely folded up piece of paper and it would tell you who you would marry, etc. So many memories. To be a teen again!

Amanda On Saturday, February 4 at 8:18 pm

They were called cootie catchers where I am from!! I can still make them !! How funny!!

66

km On Friday, February 3 at 11:16 am

My mother said,
that I never should
play with the gypsies in the wood
If I did
She would say
You naughty girl to dis o bey

There’s more that I’ve forgotten and it got progressively faster.
Not at all PC. Irish schooldays.
Some of our playground games were far more scathing . Yikes!

67

Amber On Friday, February 3 at 11:25 am

Down down baby, down by the rollercoaster
Sweet sweet baby i don’t want to let you go
I have a boyfriend…tabiscuits
he is so cool…tabsicuits
Like a swimming pool…tabiscuits
Ice cream soda pop cherry on the top
oooh chihuahua oh my honey
oooh chihuahua oh my lover
oooh chihuahua ooooooooo

Wow, that makes absolutely no sense, but funny how i never thought about what it meant when i was a child..and what the heck is “tabiscuits”? I don’t know, that’s just what we said! LOL

68

Lindsay Barnes On Friday, February 3 at 11:29 am

(This one takes me back to Girl Scouts):
What can you do,
Punchinello, funny fellow?
What can you do,
Punchinello, funny you?

We can do it, too,
Punchinello, funny fellow,
We can do it, too,
Punchinello, funny you!

You choose one of us,
Punchinello, funny fellow,
You choose one of us,
Punchinello, funny you!

OR
(Clapping Game)
Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Where the eeps, ops, sodapops
Hey Mr. Lilypad and went kerplops

Shannon On Monday, February 6 at 8:26 am

From what I can remember there is one similar to the teddy bear song sang to jump rope:
Girl Guide, Girl Guide dressed in blue
These are the actions you must do.
Bow to your partner
Curtesy to the Queen
Turn your back on the dirty submarine.

Then there is one my girls play that makes my head spin from watching them, this one is a hand game:
Lemonade (clap three times)
Cherry Ice (clap three times)
Sip it once (clap three times)
Sip it twice (clap three times)
Lemonade, Cherry Ice, Sip it once, Sip it twice
Turn around
Touch the ground
Freeze.

I am not sure which is funnier, watching my 8 and 4 yr old doing these, or listening to my husband watch the girls and try to make them laugh while they are frozen.

kellymarie On Monday, February 6 at 4:08 pm

I remember teddy bear, teddy bear…

69

JanelleM On Friday, February 3 at 11:39 am

I love this! So many wonderful memories! Thanks!

70

Debbi On Friday, February 3 at 11:43 am

I remember this one from the 70′s:

3-6-9
The goose drank wine
The monkey ate tobacco on the street car line
The line broke
The monkey got choked
And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat
Clap,clap
Clap, clap

71

Jessi On Friday, February 3 at 11:47 am

For deciding who’s “it”
Bubble gum, bubble gum
In a dish
How many pieces do you wish?
Then the person who it landed on would choose a number that would be counted out….I think.

ONCE UPON A LONG, LONG, LONG TIME AGO! We use to say this little chant….

One bright day, in the middle of the night,
two dead boys, got up to fight.
Back to back, they faced each other.
Drew their swords and shot each other.

If you don’t believe this lie is true
ask the blind man, he saw it too.

This is making my rememberer work! It is fun!

Lori C On Friday, February 3 at 11:34 pm

My dad taught this one to me like this:
One bright morning, late at night
2 dead boys got up to fight
Back to back, they faced each other
Pulled out their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard all the noise
Came and got those 2 dead boys
If you don’t believe this story is true,
Ask the blind man, he saw it too!

It has been so long since I even thought of that poem! Great memories!

73

Beverley On Friday, February 3 at 11:54 am

We used to say this one when we would bounce a ball:

Bouncy bouncy bally,
I lost the leg of my dolly,
my mother came out and gave me a clout,
and turned my petticoat inside out!

I’m sure there was more but I can’t remember it, anyone know it?
We would also bounce the ball through our legs on the inside out.

I don’t remember those, but I remember there were two about Miss Suzie (whoever she was):

Miss Suzie had a steamboat,
the steamboat had a bell,
Miss Suzie went to heaven and the steamboat went to
Hello operator,
give me number nine,
and if you disconnect me, I’ll kick you in the
Behind th’refridgerator,
there was a piece of glass,
Miss Suzie tripped and fell, and broke her little
Ask me no more questions,
tell me no more lies,
the boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their
Flies are in the city,
the bees are in the park,
the boys and girls are kissing in the D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K
Darker than the ocean,
darker than the sea
darker than the underwear my mother puts on me!

and

Miss Suzie had a baby,
its name was Tiny Tim,
she put it in the bathtub
to see if it could swim.
He drank up all the water,
he ate up all the soap,
he tried to eat the bathtub
but it wouldn’t fit down his throat!
Miss Suzie called the doctor,
the doctor called the nurse,
the nurse called the lady
with the alligator purse.
A penny for the doctor,
a quarter for the nurse,
a dollar for the lady
with the alligator purse!

75

Wendy On Friday, February 3 at 12:47 pm

Has anyone ever heard this one:

A little Miss….went out to pi……..ck some flowers
She stepped in grass……. up to her aaaaaa….nkles deep.
She saw a bird…. step on a tur…….key feather
It broke her heart…. she let a far……….mer take her home

… it needs to be sung to have the full effect! My teenage step kids cracked up when I sang it to them.

76

Becky On Friday, February 3 at 12:55 pm

I can’t remember any of these except one! I need to find a book that has them all in it!:)

77

Wendy On Friday, February 3 at 12:58 pm

Or how ’bout this one:

There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole, there’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole, there’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole, there’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a leaf on the limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a leaf on the limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole, there’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a frog on the leaf on the limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a frog on the leaf on the limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole there’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a wart on the frog on the leaf on the limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a wart on the frog on the leaf on the limb on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea

… it goes on and on and on until someone forgets the order or misses one of the things in the hole! Good times! lol

78

saffron On Friday, February 3 at 1:17 pm

Skipping rope rhyme.
Blue bells, cockle shell
Easy ivy over
Swing rope over head on over and continue in normal rope swing.
Oh no, here comes Miss Blackwell
with her big black stick
Now its time for arithmetic
One plus one is?
(jumper responds) Two
Two plus two is?
(jumper responds) Four
Four plus four is?
(jumper responds) Eight
Eight plus eight is?
(jumper responds) Sixteen
Now its time for spelling
Spell cat.
(jumper responds) C-A-T
Spell dog.
(jumper responds) D-O-G
Spell hot.
(jumper responds) H-O-T
When the jumper finishes spelling HOT swing the rope as fast as possible till they mess up.

Then we used to swing the rope as fast as possible till they messed up.

kathy On Friday, February 3 at 9:19 pm

Here come the preacher with the big fat stick

80

Pam On Friday, February 3 at 1:34 pm

Tweet tweet, a bumble bee
She rocks in the treetop all day long
hopping and a boppin’
and a singin’ her song
all the little birds on jaybird street
love to hear the robin go
tweet tweet tweet
rockin’ robin
rock rock tonight
rockin; robin
rock rock tonight
all the little birds they’re really
gonna rock tonight
a bumble bee a bumble bee…

I wish I could remember it all- love that this makes us all remember our slappy hand songs!

kathy On Friday, February 3 at 9:15 pm

It was a song called Rockin Robin Huffin and puffin and a singing his song All the birds on J bird street loved to hear the Robin going tweet, tweet, Rockin Robin who sang it?

Not the best lyrics looking back, but we did this hand game all the time in middle school. Four girls could do it at the same time and it was loads of fun to see if you could get all the way through the song without missing a step.

I had a sister just older than me, and two that were 6 and 7 years older. We lived back east until I was 3, so they had almost all the chants above plus more. It was a great novelty on the schoolyard to have new songs and we were champion double dutch skippers. One of my favourites:
Girl Guide, Girl Guide dressed in blue
These are the actions you must do:
Stand at attention
Stand at ease
Bend your elbows,
Bend your knees.
Salute to the captain,
Bow to the Queen,
Turn your back on the dirty submarine.
Fits of laughter and happy girls out of breath!

I learned a lot of my songs from Girl Scouts or loooooong car trips. Anyone remember Sweet Violets?
Sweet Violets
Sweeter than the roses
Covered all over from head to toe
Covered all over with sweet violets

There once was a farmer who took a young miss
In back of the barn where he gave her a lecture
On horses and chickens and eggs
And told her that she had such beautiful
Manners that suited a girl of her charms
A girl that he wanted to take in his
Washing and ironing and then if she did
They could get married and raise lots of
Sweet violets
Sweeter than the roses
Covered all over from head to toe
Covered all over with sweet violets…. more versus.”

84

Robin On Friday, February 3 at 1:57 pm

The one my mom taught me…

Two Irishmen, Two Irishmen,
Digging in a ditch.
One called the other a dirty sonuva,
Peter Murphy had a dog,
Taught it how to jump.
Jumped up a petticoat,
and bit her on the,
Cocktail, ginger ale,
5 cents a glass.
If you don’t like my story,
you can shove it up your
Ask me no questions
I’ll tell you no lies
If you get hit with a bucket of $#*!
Be sure and close your eyes…

Patti Rabbit On Friday, February 3 at 2:29 pm

I love all these sayings. I remember some of them, but I can never remember the whole chant. We never did the hand claps. I would like to learn them for my grandaughter. When we seesawed we would sing, “See Saw Marjorie Daw, Johnny shall have a new master.” But I can’t remember the rest. I’ll have to order the book one of you mentioned. My sister & I sing our girls counting songs, like,”The ants go marching one by one. Hoorah, Hoorah. The ants go marching one by one. Hoorah, Hoorah. The ants go marching one by one, the little one stops to shoot a gun and we all go marching down to the ground. Down, boom, boom, boom. The ants go marching two by two, etc.”

87

Vickie On Friday, February 3 at 2:29 pm

Love Em’s hair…..very interesting color….

88

Lynda On Friday, February 3 at 3:39 pm

OK, most of the chants you listed I have never heard of. And we are about the same age. Maybe Americans and Canadians do different hand chants, although I do know the Cinderella jump rope one. Hmmm….

89

Lisa On Friday, February 3 at 3:42 pm

And I forgot the one we used to drive our parents crazy with driving to the beach.

99 bottles of beer on the wall…99 bottles of beer…you take one down, pass it around…99 bottles of beer on the wall. 98 bottles……….and on and on.

Funny now how we didn’t think anything about it… of course I used to love to sing “Torn Between Two Lovers” and didn’t have a clue what it meant. haha!!

Down down baby, down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby, I’ll never let you go
Shimmy shimmy coca pop shimmy shimmy pow
Shimmy shimmy coco puff shimmy shimmy pow
Grandma grandma sick in bed, she called the doctor and the doctor said:
Let’s get the rhythm of the head, Ding Dong, let’s get the rhythm of the head
Ding Dong (move your head from left to right)
Let’s get the rhythm of the hands, (clap twice) Let’s get the rhythm of the hands (clap twice)
Let’s get the rhythm of the feet (stomp twice), Let’s get the rhythm of the feet (stomp twice)
Let’s get the rhythm of the hot dog (swivel hips), Let’s get the rhythm of the hot dog (swivel hips)
Put it all together and what do you get (repeat the rhythms)
Put it all backwards and what do you get (then do it all backwards from the rhythm part)

A sailor went to sea, sea, sea,(Hand over eyes looking out)
To see what he could see, see, see
But all that he could see,see,see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea
A sailor went to chop, chop, chop (Chop one arm on the other)
To see what he could chop, chop, chop
But all that he could chop, chop, chop
Was the bottom of the deep blue chop, chop, chop
A sailor went to knee,knee,knee (toudh knees)
To see what he could knee,knee,knee
But all that he could knee,knee,knee
Was the bottom of the deep blue knee,knee,knee
A sailor went to see, chop, knee
To see what he could see,chop,knee
But all that he could see, chop, knee
Was the bottom of the deep blue see, chop, knee

Dee On Saturday, February 4 at 8:30 am

AHA!!! THose are the verses I was forgetting for the Down Down Baby (the Ding Dong part to the end)! Thank you for reminding me!

91

MichelleM On Friday, February 3 at 4:24 pm

MichelleM, it is an antique desk I’ve had since 6th grade (purchased at an auction). We needed the unused drawers for all the components, so we pulled out the drawers and fitted the bottom with pieces of wood Jeff stained to match the rest.

92

Jamie On Friday, February 3 at 4:52 pm

Miss Suzy had a steamboat
The steamboat had a bell
Miss Suzy went to heaven
The steamboat went to…

Hello operator please give me number nine
And if you disconnect me I’ll kick you from

Behind the frigerator there was a piece of glass
Miss Suzy sat upon it and broke her little

Ask me no more questions
I’ll tell you no more lies

The boys are in the bathroom
Zipping up their

Flies are in meadow
The bees are in the park

Miss Suzy in the driveway
Kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K
Dark Dark Dark

My mom would shake her head because we just thought we were so cleaver, she knew better

93

Laura G On Friday, February 3 at 5:56 pm

I have another version of :

Cinderella dressed in yella
Went downstairs to see her fella
On the way her girdle busted
How many people were disgusted?

1..2..3..etc. (This was a jump rope song)

94

Jan On Friday, February 3 at 6:16 pm

There was a song we used to sing at the top of our lungs at the playground: “They built the ship Titanic to sail the ocean blue/ And they thought they had a ship that the waters never knew. . . . ” Seems like it had a kazillion verses, but I can’t remember them.

And what about “Little Rabbit Foo-Foo”?

maria On Friday, February 3 at 8:04 pm

I remember both of those! Is your titanic one that had? “uncles and aunts, itty-bitty children lost their pants?”

Jan On Saturday, February 4 at 6:25 am

Maria I think so, but I can’t remember. (This was like over, ahem 50 years ago!!) I think I remember most of Little Rabbit Foo Foo.
Little Rabbit Foo Foo went
running thru’ the forest,
Scooping up the field mice and
Bashing them in the head.

Alonnnng came the gooooood fairy and
She said,
Little Rabbit Foo Foo
I don’t want to see you
Scooping up the field mice and bashing them in the head,
or I’m going to turn you into a goon.

Wellllll, the very next day -
Little rabbit Foo Foo was
running thru the forest,
Scooping up the field mice and bashing them in the head.

Along came the goooood fairy
And she said,
Little Rabbit Foo Foo
I told you if you keep
Scooping up the field mice and bashing them in the head,
I would turn you into a goon

And she did. The moral of the story is
Hare today,
Goon tomorrow

Jan On Saturday, February 4 at 2:17 pm

I had to look it up. It was a camp song from girl scouts long time ago.
This is one of many versions.
The Titanic
Oh they built the ship Titanic, and when they had it through,
They thought they had a ship that the water would not go through;
But the Lord’s almighty hand said that ship would never stand.
It was sad when that great ship went down.

Chorus:
Oh it was sad, it was sad, it was sad when that
great ship went down (hit the bottom, brother)
Husbands and wives, little children lost their lives;
it was sad when that great ship went down.

Oh they sailed from Enga-land, and they headed for the shore,
But the rich refused to associate with the poor.
So they sent them down below, where they were the first to go.
It was sad when that great ship went down.

[Chorus]

Oh it was an awful time for the people on the sea,
And the band struck up with “Nearer My God to Thee.”
The captain tried to wire, but the wire was on fire;
It was sad when that great ship went down.

[Chorus]

(The following verse was added after it was written for one of the first Seafarer talent shows.)

So the moral of this story, as you can plainly see,
Is to wear a life preserver when you go out to sea.
Little children lost their lives as the waves came o’er the sides
It was sad when that great ship went down.

[Chorus]

Kristen On Sunday, February 5 at 3:00 pm

We did the Titanic one!!
Oh, they built the ship Titanic
to sail the ocean blue
and they said it was a ship that the sea could not pass through
on the day of its maiden trip
an iceberg hit the ship (POW!)
It was sad when the great ship when down.
It was sad, oh so sad,
it was sad, oh so sad,
Uncles and Aunts, little children lost their pants,
It was sad when the great ship when down
to the bottom of the sea.

My parents told us later in life that the middle was actually “Husbands and wives, little children lost their lives,” and that they changed it to make a more appropriate bedtime song.

kathy On Monday, February 6 at 3:21 pm

One day my four year old grandaughter came and sang Little Bunny Foo Foo, the whole thing. She said an aunt of ours (quite elderly) taught her. I was amazed because I had never heard it before.

95

nann On Friday, February 3 at 6:27 pm

Oh what memories! Say say oh playmate, come out and play with me…. Miss Mary Mac Mac mac with silver buttons all down her back back back…..

And I would have never noticed the shirt if you hadn’t pointed it out

96

Kara On Friday, February 3 at 6:41 pm

Down down baby
down by the rollercoaster
sweet sweet honey
never gonna let you go
shamrock shamrock
shimmy shimmy shamrock
caught you with your boyfriend
naughty naughty
steal a piece of candy
greedy greedy
…I cannot remmber the rest – but I LOVED These when I was a kid.

97

Holly On Friday, February 3 at 6:43 pm

Here is one from the 80′s:
Coke is it
The most refreshing way–
to make the most of every day–
and where ever you go
and what ever you do
there’s something big waiting for me and you
Coke is it!

98

Amanda On Friday, February 3 at 6:47 pm

Does anyone remember a hand game rhyme that starts “Stella, stella, ola…” I can’t recall the rest.

99

Sandy On Friday, February 3 at 7:00 pm

great! thanks everybody for making me feel old!!! =o)

100

katy On Friday, February 3 at 7:44 pm

I’m a child of the 80s and I remember several of these… thanks for the memories! I think we’ll have to teach these to my 4-year-old niece… if I can remember the hand movements that go with them…
We used to drive our parents nuts with this one:
“Hi! My name is Joe! And I work at a button factory!
One day, my boss came to me and said,
Hey Joe, are you busy? I said no.
He said, Push this button with your RIGHT hand!
Hi! My name is Joe! And I work at a button factory!
One day, my boss came to me and said,
Hey Joe, are you busy? I said no.
He said, Push this button with your LEFT hand!
Hi! My name is Joe! And I work at a button factory!
One day, my boss came to me and said,
Hey Joe, are you busy? I said no.
He said, Push this button with your RIGHT foot!…
(and so on, and so on, until…)
Hi! My name is Joe! And I work at a button factory!
One day, my boss came to me and said,
Hey Joe, are you busy? I said YES!”

Find the Pioneer Woman on:

Charlie has a brand new children's book out, and it's all about the day a new calf comes into the world! She sleeps in Charlie's bed, hogs all the attention...and hilarity ensues. Hope you and your kiddos enjoy the book!